My Transportation Timeline

My relationship with public transit spans decades and cities. Growing up an hour from New York City, then living in Boston for five years, and now calling NYC home, I've experienced a wide range of transportation options. From subways to high speed trains, here is a breakdown of the different transit options I've had the chance to ride:

• Subways: New York MTA, Boston MBTA, and other US and European metro systems
• Buses: Traversing routes in NYC, Boston, New Zealand, and Madrid
• Commuter Rails: Metro North, LIRR, and Boston Commuter Rail
• High-Speed Trains: Exploring Europe with Eurail and connecting US cities via Amtrak

Beyond the Daily Commute

With that in mind, my public transportation experiences aren't defined by the typical rush-hour grind. Unlike many who use transit for daily work commutes, my rides are more spontaneous: meeting friends, attending appointments, or exploring new cities. This perspective allows me to appreciate the transit experience a little differently. In preparing for this post, I've recently been trying out different train lines that I wouldn't typically use (though I should also note that I am unemployed right now, so this gives me the gift of too much time on my hands 😆).

The Human Side of Public Transportation

While my experiences with trains and subways can sometimes feel inefficient or frustrating, they reveal something beautiful: our capacity for spontaneous community. In a subway car, we're more than just strangers—we're temporary companions sharing a brief moment in time.

Some of my more notable subway moments include:

• Witnessing passengers move seats to help parents sit with their children
• Observing the respect shown to elderly passengers
• Experiencing impromptu conversations after shared experiences like Broadway shows
• Enjoying performers who transform mundane commutes into unexpected concerts
• Watching strangers kindly offer directions to confused travelers
• Seeing collective problem-solving during train delays or route changes
• Witnessing the transit employees assisting riders when the transit is not running properly
• Commuters conversing with train conductors that they see every day on their commute

Recently, I experienced both the frustrations and unexpected delights of public transit. After a long day of traveling, I arrived at Grand Central on the Metro North only to discover that no trains were running to Brooklyn. A disappointing but unsurprising Sunday evening situation. After briefly weighing my options and reviewing the weekend service changes, I embarked on a journey involving multiple subways and a shuttle bus.

The first subway was routine, filled with fellow weekend travelers returning home. On the second train, I encountered a conductor who went above and beyond, carefully informing all passengers about the day's service changes, which I considered a rare display of genuine concern for riders reaching their destinations.

The final leg of my journey involved a shuttle bus replacing my beloved Q train. This part of my trip was a stark contrast, as the driver maintained complete silence until a passenger in the back called out for information about the next stop. This prompted others to relay the question forward and the answer back—a spontaneous chain of communication among strangers.

After getting off the shuttle, I enjoyed one of the nicest things that could have happened after a long travel day: encountering a neighbor from my building who kindly checked that we both made it home safely. This experience reinforces what's typical about public transportation: beneath the inconveniences lie human moments worth observing and appreciating, even during less-than-ideal circumstances.

Final Thoughts and Reflections

Over the years in which I've been a public transportation user, I have been lucky to have experienced the unique, mundane, and sometimes frustrating transportation interactions. These experiences remind us that humanity exists in the smallest interactions. A brief moment of kindness, a shared smile, or a helping hand can transform an ordinary transit ride into something meaningful.

I'm eager to hear your public transportation stories. I've created a survey to collect experiences from others, and I'll be sharing the results in the coming weeks.

Thank you for joining me on this journey.